As I understand it, it is basically integrated to the OS itself, it's kind of like any other feature such as your screen brightness
"Google issued a statement to 9to5Google, which does not addressing the claims that the app stealth installed on phones.
The statement reads:
We have been working with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to allow users to activate the Exposure Notifications System directly from their Android phone settings. This functionality is built into the device settings and is automatically distributed by the Google Play Store, so users don’t have to download a separate app. COVID-19 Exposure Notifications are enabled only if a user proactively turns it on. Users decide whether to enable this functionality and whether to share information through the system to help warn others of possible exposure."
To an extent, yes. But when this was first going around I already had auto updates blocked.
When I bought a new phone last year, before I even hooked it up to the internet, I installed a firewall, removed shit apps and made sure no auto updates would be happening.
Proudly have no covid BS on any of my phones.
If you already have it, which most do, reset your phone to factory specs and do not upgrade the OS. The features are not important anyway. Most phones work better with the OS they ship with and were designed to use.
Yeah but what about security updates? Not that you automatically end up hacked every time you miss a security update, but you get the idea, that's a tad "problematic"
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